St Modwen Skelmersdale High Street plan goes before councillors

An artist's impression of the new Skelmersdale High Street looking down towards the library

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Plans to revolutionise Skelmersdale by creating a high street are set to be passed by councillors next week.

The £10 million scheme is the brainchild of St Modwen and will provide an estimated 270 permanent jobs and 240 temporary construction jobs.

A five-screen cinema operated by Reel will be built, along with bars, restaurants and shops. There will also be a 300 space free car park built as part of the project.

The proposed opening hours for the cinema are from 9am until midnight seven days a week and the proposed opening hours for the restaurants and drinking establishments are 8am until 11.30pm with the retail units open from 8am until 11pm Monday to Friday, 10pm Saturdays and 5pm Sundays and Bank Holidays.

A report to councillors stated: "Skelmersdale town centre is exceptionally weak for a town with a population of 40,000 and fails to function effectively as a town centre.

"The proposed development will help create an evening economy with a cinema and restaurants, lacking in the present town centre.

"The provision of a pedestrian link between the western entrance to the Concourse and the Asda/College is also very much in accordance with the Council’s aspirations to create more of a traditional high street between the existing key buildings in the town centre and to help provide a safe and secure environment.

"The proposal also provides improved linkages to the Tawd Valley and new areas of landscaping and play area will be provided. The extant planning permission for the site already includes a cinema, restaurant uses and foodstore and Policy SP2 specifically requires a cinema on the Strategic Development Site so this element of the proposal is acceptable even though the Council has also recently resolved to grant planning permission for a cinema in the Concourse.

"This scheme represents an important first step in the regenerative process. In its own right it provides significant improvements to the retail offer and the much needed leisure and entertainment sector within Skelmersdale Town Centre and is unlikely to prejudice the outstanding requirements of the development plan. Furthermore, the proposal has no significant impact upon the local highway network or surrounding residential amenity and is therefore in accordance with the development plan."

Fears that the development will affect the Concourse have been voiced however and the retail consultants employed by the council have urged councillors to put in place some form of controls designed to secure the long term presence of the larger and key retailers in the Concourse.

12 letters of objection have been received from local residents and existing Concourse traders who raise concerns that the Concourse should be allowed to get on with improving their offer as this includes everything needed in the town centre.

There are fears existing jobs would be under threat with shops closing down and some feel that it doesn't make sense to approve more development when the existing shopping centre is not at full capacity.

A decision will be made on the development at the planning committee meeting next Thursday.